Just ok, 1/20/2015
Reviewer: Anthony
from Goleta, CA
We got the garlic chicken pizza. The flavor of the sauce was good but it was drowned out by SO MUCH diced garlic. I like garlic but this was over the top and not in a good way. I like a crunchy crust and this crust was pretty soggy. Overall the taste was good but the texture and consistency wasn't great. The staff was friendly. Some maybe too friendly. The owner seemed to be a bit preoccupied with the young ladies. Kinda creepy. Good prices on pitchers of beer.

Didn't expect raw veggies..., 4/2/2014
Reviewer: Local lady
from Santa Barbara, CA
Ordered a pizza to be delivered. Guy on the phone was a sweetheart; professional and accommodating. Girl who delivered it was very nice too. Thing is: The onion and the pepper on the pizza were basically raw and looked like they'd been added after the pizza was out of the oven; was expecting maybe they might have cooked them too? Crust was thin but not crispy, although that may have been a result of being delivered rather than eaten on site.

Bomb Chicken Wings!
Reviewer: Joey C
from Isla Vista, CA
I usually go to Gio's for the huge slices but i went here on Monday to get a study break from finals and found out they do $.50 chicken wings all day on Monday's. (wish i knew earlier since i'm a senior)They use this spicy BBQ sauce on the wings that was soooo bomb. Kinda like crack. I had to go back and order more. Keep doin' what you do Gio's. You'll always be my fav spot.

Great pizza friendly staff
Reviewer: Mike
from Los Angeles, CA
Stopped by for some pizza with the family as it came highly recommended from other friends in the area and I was very happy we did. We walked in and were immediately greeted by a very nice girl behind the counter. She was very friendly and answered our questions as we aren't from here. We ended up getting the Garlic Chicken pizza, spaghetti marinara with meatballs, and some chicken wings. I have to say the pizza was loaded with toppings and the white sauce on the pizza...yummm. They told me the marinara sauce was made from scratch in house and it showed. Full of flavor. oh and the meatballs are the size of baseballs. The chicken wings come with this kind of spicy bbq sauce. Fantastic. i wish i had gotten more. Overall a great experience

Would you like some pizza with your ranch?
Reviewer: Dani
from Goleta
Awesome happy hour. Awesome pizza. The ranch dressing? Perfection, in all of its preservative-free, house-made, totally addicting glory. The staff is great, the events that the owner has are perfectly in synch with the college town he is set up in. The wall of shame is pretty funny... maybe Takeru Kobayashi (that guy who has all of the world records in eating) should swing by so that there can finally be someone on the wall of fame :)

Giovanni's
Reviewer: Ryan Pearson
from isla Vista
Pretty much the best place to eat in Isla Vista.
Great pizza for good price. Amazingly friendly service. Good deals on beer during happy hour, which happens to be everytime there's a football game on. The owner holds beer pong tournaments and is an Isla Vista native. great outside eating area where you can drink.
They play hip music and have events such as freestyleing artist come in. I also think that the raiders should lose in every game to the chargers for the next 139347 years.

Best Wednesday Lunch Special in IV
Reviewer: John
from Goodland
Plate of Pasta, Meat Sauce, and two Meatballs for $4.00? Hell yeah! Add in the fact that the meatballs are homemade and the size of tennis balls, even better.
I have eaten here the last two Wednesdays in a row (thanks Large) and will continue to head over here once a week minimum. These meatballs are fantastic and filling. It is hard to believe that I can be fed for less than $5.00 and leave the table stuffed. I highly recommend giving Gio's a shot, you will come back.

Among the best pizzas in the area, if not the best.
Reviewer: Ron
from Santa Barbara, CA
I've gotten take out here twice (Giovanni's special w/everything). They are extremely generous with the toppings and the crust is excellent. That's where the real test is -- the crust. Giovanni's in IV still uses a brick oven to cook their pies (!), something which the larger chains moved away from long ago. The dough ends up baking into a crust which is the perfect balance of crunchy/chewy and far surpasses their nearby popular independent competitor. A large sized pizza actually feeds a crowd since the toppings are not stingy, something which I can't really say about any other pizza place in town.

Best pizza place in I.V.
Reviewer: Lee Adama
from Santa Barbara, CA
Now, there are only two places to eat pizza in Isla Vista: Woodstocks and Gios. Hands down the best pizza is at Gios, not to mention the happy hour which I take advantage of all the time. The crust is crunchy and chewy and the garlic chicken pizza with meatball and cilantro may be the single greatest combination pizza I have ever tried. The staff is really friendly and they all seem to like working there. The new owners have been doing something right, and I hope they stay here for a while.

Mama Mia! That's real Pizza!
Reviewer: Tom Savio
from Los Angeles
I grew up in New York; 100% Italian American. My father was a designer and builder of pizza ovens! I was the most popular kid on the block--because we always had to test the new pizza ovens! Giovanni's in Isla Vista is the best pizza west of the Statue of Liberty! That stuff they serve in Chicago should have been buried with Big Al! On a recent trip back to my old home on the "Isle of Long", I tasted the pizza--hey Giovanni's of Isla Vista is now better than New York pizza! Oddly, it's better than Giovanni's in Santa Barbara/Monticito--maybe its the sea air? G's has a supply of oregano for the asking-- the "secret" ingredient that makes pizza right. What do the other reviewers mean that the service is slow--GOOD pizza is slowly baked--this is not some chain outfit run by a blue-eyed blond who has never been east of the Sierra! Coal smoke; wood smoke--baloney! It's in the sauce and crust--worth the trip from LA!

DELICOUS Pizza!
Reviewer: Katherine Burns
from Goleta, CA
My first time @ Giovanni's IV and I ordered the Giovanni's Specialty pizza. It was loaded with so many topping's - almost too many! - cooked just right & I really like the crust - It's delicous! The best pizza I have had in quite awhile. I also tried the garlic cheese bread and that was fantastic as well. They have a great selection of beer on tap, I tried the Rasberry Cider Ale - it was great!

A little slow, food on the authentic Italian side
Reviewer: Glenn
from Buellton, Ca
The food is Ok here, the wait is a little slow. It tries to be more authentic italian if that is what you like and with that I don't think the speed is very fast like a Dominos. If you like more authentic stuff and willing to wait then its good, I guess you can always call it in.